Bergoo had a yard with a 70 car capacity. There was a short spur off the mainline here to Leatherwood.

On November 4-5, 1985, Hurricane “Juan” washed out several sections of the WM's Laurel Subdivision track between Bergoo and Curtin. At that time, the last active customer on the Bergoo to Webster Springs section was the Pardee & Curtin lumber mill at Barton (Curtin). Shortly after that, the Elk River Sewell Coal Company (a subsidiary of Westmoreland Coal) began negotiations with the WM to acquire the line from Bergoo to Webster Springs.

Negotiations took place over the next few months and on May 15, 1986, an agreement was reached whereby Elk River Sewell acquired the portion of the Laurel Subdivision between MP 73.70 near Bergoo and MP 86.17 at Webster Springs. As part of the sale agreement, ERS also acquired two Chessie GP-9's (C&O 6098, in C&O paint and C&O 6170, in Chessie System paint).

Since ERS never incorporated the railroad as a separate subsidiary (the 'Bergoo & Western' name was purely fictional), it remained a private rail line (non common carrier), and as such, it couldn't serve any other customers (not that there were any to be had). Therefore, the B&W operation consisted mostly of switching the Elk River Sewell mine operation at Bergoo and assembling the cars into trains for the WM crews out of Laurel Bank to pick up.

At the beginning, the two units remained in the Chessie era paint, but were eventually painted and lettered for the fictional 'Bergoo & Western' line. ERS also built an enginehouse at Bergoo where the two GP's were stored when not in use.

After the end of operations at Bergoo a CSX crew was sent on July 5, 1994 to remove the two GP9's. The GP's were later wrecked in Macon, GA. in August 2000 and subsequently scrapped.

(info by Ron Stafford)

Darren Talbert photographed this WM tieplate on a leg of the wye at Bergoo in November 2012.

Looking west into the grown up tracks from the bridge that leads out from Bergoo railroad west Webster Springs. (May 2008, Blair Williamson photo)

Three photos takem by Darren Talbert at the 2nd bridge(westernmost) in Bergoo. The first photo is looking west from in front of the church at the switch and bridge. Further out onto the bridge you can see damage and a fallen tree across the tracks. The last photo is the same bridge off to the right as you head west out of town. (Darren Talbert photos, Nov. 2012)

Looking at the Pardee & Curin engine house at Bergoo from the WM bridge over the Elk River in 1967. This shot was taken looking south(railroad east) on one of the two bridges in Bergoo. The mainline which is also a leg of the wye curves left towards Elkins. The second photo is at the same location in May 2008. (thanks to Mike Yetter and Warren Hart for 1967 photo)&(May 2008, Blair Williamson photo)

Elk River Sewell Coal Company #6098 and #6170 at Bergoo, July 9, 1986. These gp's were later painted in a blue and yellow scheme. (Frank N. Vollhardt, Jr. photos)

Looking at the one leg of the wye here at Bergoo in May 2008. Last train on these tracks at Bergoo was July 5, 1994. (Blair Williamson photo)

The two images are alongside the road between the two railroad bridges in Bergoo. The first image is looking west and the second back east towards Elkins. (Darren Talbert photos, Nov. 2012)

This is the easternmost bridge in Bergoo. This bridge is along the road from town to Hickory Lick. (2008, Blair Williamson photo)

Two more photos of the same bridge pictured above but looking east and west at the bridge. At the west end of the bridge the mainline curved right and passed the church and onto the second bridge. Back at this bridge the railroad had a wye which crossed the road and ran off to the left. This wye also ran to a mine loader at Leatherwood, which was a short ways passed the wye at the end of the track. (Darren Talbert photos, Nov. 2012)

The yard at Bergoo is located just east of the first bridge in the town of Bergoo. Here in these two photos looking west and east a section of the yard is still visible due to the owners of the homes up above the tracks have kept it mowed. I would think this is the rail yard that the 'Bergoo & Western' sat their loaded coal hoppers out for CSX to pick up. (Darren Talbert photos, Nov. 2012)

The WM tracks pass through this campground east of the yard at Bergoo. The tracks still look in service here except for the rusty rails. After passing by the campground the tracks cross Bergoo Creek on this culvert and crosstie bridge. East of this bridge the tracks run on the opposite side of the river from the road. (Darren Talbert photo, Nov. 2012)